Everyone knows the tale of the three wise monkeys, “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. In Japanese it is “mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru” or translated, “don’t see, don’t hear, don’t speak”.

However, there are a total of 16 monkeys that adorn the “Sacred Stable” within Toshogu Shrine.

At the Nikko Information Center in Gokomachi, speak to licensed tour guide of Nikko Junji Iwami. He knows the stories for all the monkeys and he began to tell me how collectively they represent the cycle of life.

For such a famous sightseeing spot for Nikko, the monkeys appear on a modest horse stable.